Dance training is superior to repetitive physical exercise in inducing brain plasticity in the elderly.

ABSTRACT: Animal research indicates that a combination of physical activity and sensory enrichment has the largest and the only sustaining effect on adult neuroplasticity. Dancing has been suggested as a human homologue to this combined intervention as it poses demands on both physical and cognitive functions. For the present exploratory study, we designed an especially challenging dance program in which our elderly participants constantly had to learn novel and increasingly difficult choreographies. This six-month-long program was compared to conventional fitness training matched for intensity. An extensive pre/post-assessment was performed on the 38 participants (63-80 y), covering general cognition, attention, memory, postural and cardio-respiratory performance, neurotrophic factors and-most cruc

SUBMITTER: Rehfeld K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6040685 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature